He needed more time with her.
More chances to spend time alone.
Over lunch in a local park, Crois asked Pilar a question that had been on his mind. “I was wondering…”
Pilar looked up from her fries. “Hmm?”
“I know I said that I wouldn’t need a plus one for the wedding, but-”
Pilar started to choke and horrified, Crois turned and gave her a few hard smacks on her back freeing the offending piece of perfected fried and salted fry. It disappeared off the side of the picnic table and while Crois was still cringing at the situation, Pilar had turned toward him and poked him in the arm.
“That’s great! And I know exactly who you’re asking!”
Crois hadn’t expected Pilar to be so… excited about the situation.
“Well, I’d like to ask her but I’m not sure how she’d react to it.”
Pilar frowned at him, or his words, he wasn’t sure. “What’s going on?”
He sighed and shook his head. “We’re getting closer, but between my schedule and hers, we haven’t spent all that much time together. And I feel like I can be a little overwhelming at times.”
“You?” Pilar laughed and then sobered almost immediately. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you… really.”
“That’s not really helping me.”
She nodded. “I know. Maybe this will give you a chance to get closer.”
“I’m trying. I just feel like the harder I try; the worse off things are.”
“Maybe,” she sighed, “you just need to get out of your own way.”
“Get out of my own…”
Before he could finish his thought, he heard the squeal of a car making a U turn.
He looked up and saw a CCPD SUV pulling up into a spot beside their cruiser.
“Who’s that?”
Pilar looked up and sighed, rolling her eyes. “My soon-to-be brother-in-law.”
Walker Ashley.
Detective Walker Ashley walked up like he owned the place and slid onto one of the bench seats at the picnic table.
The first thing he did was reach out and pick a fry right off of her plate.
Crois glared at the interloper.
“Hey, leave her food alone.”
Walker looked back at him with a good hard stare.
“She’s basically my sister. I have scrounging rights off of her plate.”
“Well,” Crois shot back, “I’m her partner, so I’ve got her back. Let her eat.”
Folding his arms on the surface of the table, Walker looked at Pilar. “Are you gonna let him talk to your soon to be brother like that?”
